Burdabi is a fictional nation in the Middle East.  According to Steve Austin, "there's nothing there - not even oil - and the top man is a pilot."

The politics of Burdabi are in turmoil.  The military controls the country.  Rebel forces are attempting to gain control of the government.  The leader of Burbabi at the time of Col. Austin's mission to Burbabi is Air Marshal Mahmud Majid. (The Thunderbird Connection)

Deconstructed

• Unlike nations such as Almain or Kutan, Burdabi does not enjoy the wealth of oil producing nations.
• Burdabi is a small nation.
• The terrain and climate of Burdabi appears to be nothing more than desert.  This would comply with Steve Austin's comment that "there's nothing there."
• A probable location for Burdabi would be the Iraqi-Saudi Arabian Neutral Zone.  This diamond shaped region lies on the border of Iraq and Saudi Arabia.  It is approximately 2,700 square miles in area.  By comparison, the state of Delaware is 2,491 square miles.

• 

  The Neutral Zone was created as a result of the Uqair Conference in December 1922.  The agreements of the Conference established that no government would build fortifications or station troops in or near the zones.  This would account for Burdabi's underdevelopment.
• In the real world, the neutral zone remains and is mostly ignored by the bordering nations.  The residents of the area are typically nomadic tribes.
• A point of departure from real world history might account for the independance of Burdabi and the establishment of a single ruling family from among the nomads, in this case Prince Hassad's family.
• Burdabi's proximity to Almain might account for the incredible resemblance bewteen Air Marshal Mahmud Majid of Burdabi and Shah Ali Bin Gazim of Almain.  Separated at birth?
  

  Air Marshal Mahmud Majid

  

  Shah Ali bin Gazim